PORT ANGELES — Within months of being replaced, the 1930s-era Valley Creek bridge has taken a sudden beating from vehicle crashes that have caused significant damage since the weekend.
On Sunday and Tuesday nights, in unrelated incidents, the 750-foot-long bridge — the easternmost of two landmark spans carrying Eighth Street over the deep gorges — was the scene of two one-vehicle collisions.
City Street Superintendent Gary Stempin said Tuesday night’s wreck “peeled apart” about 120 feet of guardrail on the Valley Creek bridge’s south side.
That was about 48 hours after the north side was significantly damaged when a pickup truck rolled over and into the railing.
The damage to the south side isn’t affecting drivers, so the pedestrian walkway might be opened up with a temporary barrier replacing the damaged railing, he said.
They might be able to secure it well enough to prevent pedestrians from falling, Stempin said.
But if it poses a danger to anyone, the bridge’s pedestrian walkway on the south side will be closed, he said.
Pedestrian safety
Stempin said the city needs to get materials to restore the 70-year-old, trestle-like bridge’s pedestrian safety railing, which separates people from vehicles.
City Hall found a supplier who has the right materials and “ordered everything this supplier has,” he said.
“We just depleted our materials stock fixing the other damage, so we were getting ready to order more,” Stempin said.
“We’re trying to get it in as soon as possible. It’s an older bridge, so it is more difficult to get replacement materials.
“We’re hoping maybe a week to get the materials.”
